Airs Wednesday, August 5, 2015 at 10 p.m. on KPBSTV

Explore the science behind the headlines in PBS’ premier science series. With compelling stories and spectacular visuals, NOVA programs demystify science and technology for viewers of all ages and spotlight people involved in scientific pursuits.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Ben Krueger/National Geographic Television

Moai re-creation held up by strap. The NOVA team tests the theory that the islanders used ropes to “walk” the statues upright, like moving a fridge.

Polynesia's Genius Navigators

How did the ancient sailors of the South Pacific find their way to Easter Island and other distant specks of land?

A remote, bleak speck of rock in the middle of the Pacific, Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, has mystified the world ever since the first Europeans arrived in 1722.

In "Mystery Of Easter Island," NOVA explores controversial recent claims that challenge decades of previous thinking about the islanders, who have been accused of everything from ecocide to cannibalism.

Among the radical new theories is that the islanders used ropes to “walk” the statues upright, like moving a fridge.

With the help of an accurate 15-ton replica statue, a NOVA team sets out to test this high-risk, seemingly unlikely theory — serving up plenty of action and surprises in this fresh investigation of one of the ancient world’s most intriguing enigmas.